Don't like a satin finish on your uke neck? . . . solution.

cyber3d · Oct 1, 2019

I just purchased a beautiful Kala KA-ZCT-S (Ziricote Laminate Soprano). BUT, after playing it for a day, I found the satin finish neck just didn't cut it for me. My thumb could not give me any grip.

So, I polished it using a polish called Brasso. It did not take very long at all. Soft cloth and a little elbow grease et voila! A beautiful gloss finish and my thumb could not be happier!

Peter Frary · Oct 1, 2019

I have the opposite problem: glossy necks are too grippy for me (and make strange thumb fart sounds while recording). I greatly prefer the quiet and less grippy feel of satin while running up and down the fingerboard. Been thinking of using micromesh to convert a couple necks to satin.

Doc_J · Oct 1, 2019

A polishing or scratch removal compound, like Scratch-X from Meguiar’s works well also.

Kenn2018 · Oct 1, 2019

Bill1 said:
Brasso is grit floating in ammonia. The MSDS sheet shows it contains kerosene 60-100%, silicon dioxide (glass or sand?) 5-10%, anhydrous ammonia 0.25-1%. Plus secret non-hazardous substances. I like to avoid kerosene on my ukes and hands.
Brasso is great for brass, and works on wood, but perhaps you can find something better for wood?
I have used clean photo copy paper as a very fine abrasive for a neck. You fold it into a 1" strip and hold it either side and run it along the neck for a few minutes. 00000 steel wool is another useful abrasive. As is 2400+ grit wet and dry paper with a single drop (not half a pint) of flaxseed oil or your favourite guitar polish.

Only slightly more abrasive is a brown paper bag. The small bits of wood pulp and tiny amounts of silica provide the abrasive. It's also excellent for removing a burr from a nut slot.

Uncle Rod Higuchi · Oct 1, 2019

Great info!

Where can one find this kind of information anywhere else?

you guys (and gals) are wonderful for sharing your experiences with
the rest of us! Copier paper, brown paper bag... who'd have thunk it?

keep uke'in',

70sSanO · Oct 2, 2019

I’ve polished out the top of a few of my ukes. Brasso is probably too harsh an abrasive. I’ve used a ultra fine metal polish that is good for fiberglass. I’ve used it on surfboards after repairing a ding to buff the repair out. But the real test is polishing out plastic Jeep windows. It is not too abrasive if you can make the windows clearer to see though.

About 10 years ago I actually took a car buffer to the top of one of my ukuleles. Although I had no problems, I no longer have the intestinal fortitude to do that again...lol!

John

Don't like a satin finish on your uke neck? . . . solution.

cyber3d

Well-known member

Peter Frary

Well-known member

Doc_J

Well-known member

Kenn2018

UU VIP

Uncle Rod Higuchi

Well-known member

70sSanO

Well-known member

Similar threads